Namco Bandai recently posted its financial results for the first half of FY2011, a period running April - September. The results don't look too hot on paper -- the company's "Content" division (which encapsulates its console games branch) reported total sales of ¥7,145 billion ($879 million), while the company as a whole ended up with a net loss of ¥1.93 billion ($24 million). However, when compared to the ¥6.04 billion ($74 million) in net losses the company suffered during the first half of FY10, these figures are ... well, significantly less terrible.

The company's biggest seller released in the current fiscal year was the licensed adaptation of the animated film Despicable Me, which moved 390,000 copies during the first half. Trailing close behind was Dead to Rights: Retribution at 350,000 copies sold. Imagine what kind of a sales powerhouse Namco would have on its hands if Universal ever did an animated movie about a young boy and his insatiable, murderous dog.